People only tried to please the emperor, but no one dared to bargain with him. Whether you made a great contribution or had merit, it all depended on the emperor's favor.
The saying "thunder, lightning, rain, and dew are all grace" refers to the privileges granted to emperors in feudal society. Some were clear about rewards and punishments, while others were harsh and unkind, and no one dared to criticize them.
However, during the Tianqi period, the emperor’s actions could not be said to be out of gratitude, but the input and output were able to maintain a balance as much as possible.
If you want a horse to run, you must feed it grass. This is a very simple truth, although many emperors took the efforts of their ministers and subjects for granted.
It was with this idea in mind that the emperor invested generously in Liaodong and improved the treatment of soldiers who fought on the battlefield and defended the country.
Sufficient food and wages are the guarantee of victory. Since we want to pacify the Liao and destroy the slaves, we should not let the soldiers shed blood and tears. The emperor has no shortage of hungry soldiers. It's such a simple truth.
The emperor treated his ministers and even merchants alike. He had to make others willing to contribute, motivate them, and create a virtuous cycle.
But simply taking without giving back was not Zhu Youxiao's style. Moreover, it would gradually demotivate contributors and dry up the financial resources.
A win-win cooperation model was gradually established, which was also an important step for Zhu Youxiao to free the court's finances from land taxes.
Of course, few people know the emperor's layout and understand his long-term planning.
But this is not important. At most, it makes the emperor feel a little lonely and sigh, "Everyone is drunk, but I am sober."
Glancing at the ministers who were bowing to His Highness, the Emperor's expression was solemn, revealing an inviolable majesty. He raised his hand slightly and said in a deep voice, "Your Excellencies, please stand."
"Long live, long live, long live!"
Hearing the cheers of "Long live the emperor", the emperor pursed his lips slightly and a smile flashed across his face.
The officials of the Honglu Temple were the first to leave the palace and report to the emperor the officials who came to the capital to express their gratitude or to leave the capital to resign. These people had all been reported to the Honglu Temple the day before. Since the emperor had already said he wanted to summon them, they naturally went to the palace to meet him first.
After several rounds of discussion, the northern governors who came to Beijing to report on their work finally worked out a disaster relief plan that satisfied the emperor.
They are about to leave the capital today. Given their status, it is quite normal for the emperor to summon them.
Although he was dissatisfied with Yang Lian, he had been discussing plans seriously with other governors and governors-general in recent days, and the emperor did not replace him.
He could be replaced at any time, so there was no need to rush. Yang Lian was familiar with the area, could do his job well, and kept his mouth shut, so the emperor could tolerate him.
"You are all high-ranking officials with heavy responsibilities on your shoulders. The safety of the local areas is the safety of the imperial court. Especially after a major disaster, stabilizing the local areas and providing relief to the people is what I expect."
The emperor softened his tone, but his expression remained solemn and his voice low. "Throughout the dynasties, great disasters have almost always meant great unrest. The cause can be summed up in two words: 'hunger.' Revolts over famines, chaos across the land, and the change of dynasties are not uncommon."
The governors and governors bowed and stood in awe. They knew that the emperor attached great importance to the coming of a major disaster, but it was still rare to see him talk about "changing dynasties".
Could anything be more serious than this? I'm afraid in the eyes of the emperor, there is no such thing.
"Before you depart, my lords, I give you four words: 'Put the people first.'" The emperor's voice still echoed in the hall. "When the people are safe, the country is safe. When the people are in chaos, the country is in chaos. Remember this."
The emperor paused and waved to the eunuch. A palace servant came forward with a tray. This was the emperor's reward. Every governor-general had one, and it was the same for everyone.
"I thank Your Majesty for your grace and will keep your teachings in mind." The governors and governors knelt down to express their gratitude.
Yang Lian opened his lips as if he wanted to say something, but someone tugged at his sleeve, so he had no choice but to shut his mouth.
"Since it is beneficial to the country and the people, why should Brother Yang bother with trivial matters?"
"Brother Yang, do you admit that you are a member of the Donglin Party? Your Majesty is determined to make progress and eliminate factional strife. Brother Yang, do you want to speak up for the Donglin Party?"
"You should do your job. Lord Yang is no longer a censor, and His Majesty has committed no serious offense. Why do you take it upon yourself to offer advice, find some unfounded excuse, and anger His Majesty?"
"Serving the country and benefiting the people—this was the ideal you held when you were a student, wasn't it? Now that you're in a position, you have the opportunity to realize your ambitions. If His Majesty becomes enraged and dismisses you, Brother Yang will gain nothing but a reputation for loyalty and integrity, and what good will that do for the country and the people?"
Yang Lian thought of the persuasion of Fang Zhenru and others, and also thought of what Wansui said about "selling honesty to buy fame", and finally suppressed his dissatisfaction.
The emperor felt relieved when he saw Yang Lian was being honest. "It's not that I absolutely need you. I'm giving you the opportunity to be a local official. Don't be ungrateful."
I have eradicated factional strife, but I have promoted people based on their talents, without showing any partiality to any particular faction. Over the past few years, officials should have understood my true intentions. Are you, Yang Dahong, the only one who doesn't understand?
The governors and governors bid farewell and left the palace, and the court proceeded to report on the border situation according to the normal procedure.
According to the rules, if there is a report from the border, "the big ones will be announced, and the small ones will be reported in full. All of them will be announced before the morning court, so as to show the country's prestige and military achievements."
The Minister of War, Sun Chengzong, came out to report on two matters, one in Liaodong and the other in the southwest.
Regarding Liaodong, the main focus is on mobilizing troops into Liaodong and the progress of transporting food and supplies.
In the southwest, another small victory was achieved. Some local chiefs could not stand the blockade and siege, and believed that the Anshe rebels had no chance of turning the tables, so they surrendered to the Ming Dynasty.
In reality, all of this had been reported to the Emperor in secret, and he was already aware of it. So, after a few brief inquiries and a few instructions, the Ministry of War made the decision according to its authority.
Compared to the Jiannu in Liaodong, the She'an rebels were far inferior in combat effectiveness. The main reason they were so difficult to annihilate was the complex terrain of Shuixi, with its towering mountains and dense ravines.
Therefore, even though the She'an rebels were very powerful at the beginning, attacking Chongqing and Guizhou, it was inevitable that the local chieftains took advantage of the situation and expanded the momentum of the She'an rebels.
As long as the Ming army holds its ground and does not underestimate the enemy and advance rashly to suffer losses due to the complex terrain, the She'an rebels will become fewer and fewer in number and weaker, and will no longer have the energy to jump around.
The emperor was determined to suppress the rebels without appeasing them. He wanted to completely eliminate the Shuixi rebels and bring Shuixi completely under the administrative management of the Ming Dynasty, making the She and An families a thing of the past.
"I obey your order." After hearing the emperor's instructions, Sun Chengzong hesitated for a moment, bowed and retreated.
He didn't expect that Wansui had already made a decision that even the local chiefs who surrendered would not be retained but would be moved to Mekong Province.
How can a local snake fight against a powerful dragon if it leaves its territory?
Sun Chengzong certainly knew that this was the emperor's way of solving the Shuixi problem once and for all, but such a move would probably not be conducive to dividing and disintegrating the She'an rebels.
It would be more appropriate to wait until the court session is over and then propose to the emperor to make some minor changes or slow down the process.
Sun Chengzong saved face for the emperor, but he didn't know that the emperor had made up his mind.
The cost is high, but it is temporary and immediate. In the long run, it eliminates future hidden dangers and provides manpower for the development of Mekong Province.
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